Buhari To Visit Cameroon And Benin Republic To Consolidate Regional Coalition Against Boko Haram

President Muhammadu Buhari will tomorrow commence a two-day visit to Cameroon to hold talks with President Paul Biya and senior Cameroonian Government officials in continuation of his efforts to build a more effective regional coalition against Boko Haram, the presidency announced on Tuesday.

Presidential spokesman Femi Adesina said the talks between the two leaders will focus on the full activation and deployment of the Multinational Joint Task Force against Boko Haram established under the auspices of the Lake Chad Basin Commission. They will also discuss further joint measures to curb terrorism, violent extremism and other cross-border crimes.

President Buhari will be accompanied by six state governors, well as the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Defence and the Director-General of the National Intelligence Agency.


The governors on the entourage are Alhaji Mohammed Bindow of Adamawa State, Mr. Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Samuel Ortom of Benue State, Alhaji Kashim Shettima of Borno State, Mr. Ben Ayade of Cross River State and Mr. Darius Ishaku of Taraba State.

President Buhari, who is due back in Abuja on Thursday, will also meet with Nigerians living in Cameroon.
Upon his return, the President will on Saturday undertake a one-day trip to Benin Republic for talks with President Boni Yayi.

According to Mr. Adesina, that visit will round-off the diplomatic shuttles to neighbouring countries which President Buhari began when he assumed office aimed at strengthening regional cooperation against terrorism and making it much harder for Boko Haram to operate across national boundaries.